More Writing Advice from Randy Ingermanson + a free book

Back in October, I reviewed a book of writing advice from authors Randy Ingermanson and John B. Olson. They cleverly inserted four appendices on writing at the end of their award winning sci-fi novel, Oxygen. And now they physicist/biochemist duo has done it again with the sequel, The Fifth Man.

The Fifth Man comes complete with three meaty appendices (over 60 pages) that are worth the price in themselves. It's like getting the novel as a bonus. Here's more about what you get in Ingermanson's own words.

Imagine pitching a story idea in such a way that an editor turns off her inner critic, breaks out her pom-poms, and becomes your instant fan.
 

Think that's over the top? I've seen it happen, over and over.

My writing buddy, John Olson, has developed a battle-tested technique for taking almost any idea and turning an editor into a salivating puddle.

It's not about the presentation. It's not about the polish. It's certainly not about boiling the story down to a one-sentence "elevator pitch."

It's a psychological technique for creating a special kind of "high concept" that worms inside an editor's brain and stays there. John explains it all with examples in one of the appendices for our new e-book.

We're now releasing an e-book, the new and improved edition of our novel, THE FIFTH MAN, which we coauthored years ago. Since John and I are the publishers, we get to decide what goes into the book.

We've added three appendices for aspiring authors. Here's what they include:

* Developing The Big Idea -- how to find great ideas.

* Developing A Powerful High Concept -- how to get your editor salivating over your story.

* Every Scene Is A Story -- how to find the perfect structure for every scene in your novel.

THE FIFTH MAN is a space adventure with a strong dose of romance, suspense, and humor.

Valkerie Jansen is tough, beautiful, and being pursued by every man on the planet. Literally. The planet in question is Mars, with a total population of four.

Days before a giant dust storm is projected to strike their camp, Valkerie is attacked by an unseen assailant. Fortunately, there are only three suspects.

Unfortunately, all three of them . . . are innocent.

Within the appendices, you'll find out the big five story drivers writers need to be aware of. You'll absorb a detailed explanation of the six roads to a high concept story. And you'll get a thorough education in proactive and reactive scenes--a technique that will take your writing to a whole new level, and make your story difficult to put down.

To read the first three chapters, and find links to the book on all platforms, check out Ingermanson's Fifth Man page. I really like how the authors, though successful, are taking the time to give back to the writing community. They're candid about their experiences and missteps, and the appendices are entertaining to read. When you're successfully published one day, what will your advice to aspiring authors be?